Couple Q's about my GBTA...

[Mr James]

I received the GBTA in on a trade because the previous owner felt his tank was too small and lights too weak. I once had a condi and soon got rid of it to concentrate on SPS.

1. Why does it totally deflate to where it looks like it melted. Then shortly thereafter, it's puffed up again. I have seen it do the melting thing twice now.

2. How come the bulb tips aren't always bulbed??

It's eating nicely and I have a single true perc hosting it. It's about the size of a grapefruit and has found a good spot at the bottom of my 180g. I light it with 3 x 250w mh's.

 

[sarahkucera]

#1)
BTA's, and most anemones I think, routinely inflate and deflate as a way or ridding themselves of waste.
#2)
Not all BTA's regularly show bubble tips. Why they do or don't is a mystery. Mine seems to bubble up more right after a feeding, but sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to it.

 

[Ciarán]

I have a BTA and it doesnt exhibit bulb/bubble tips to the extent you are referring to whatsoever, yet it is perfectly healthy, growing and thriving. They just seem to produce them periodically. About inflating and deflating, yes they certainly do that on ridding themselves of their digested waste products, they can contract for up to 4-5 days in my experience until the waste in question has been fully ejected.

However a more serious contraction can occur when there is too much or too little light, or if it has been radically shifted to a lighting level much different to its former location. The lighting sounds great, if its eating then the puffing up/deflating is normal digestive behaviour IMO. If it is experiencing a degree of "light shock" which i sincerely doubt, try subduing lighting and slowly build it up. They adapt very quickly from what i have experienced with changing lighting schemes with mine.

Ciaran.